Quarried stone slabs are a commonly used building material. Granite, marble, soapstone, and other quarried stones are often selected for use as countertops due to their aesthetic properties. Despite the visual appeal of quarried stone, such quarried stone slabs can be quite expensive to obtain and are generally limited to naturally occurring color schemes.
Engineered stone slabs may be formed from a man-made combination of materials that can provide improved stain-resistant or heat-resistant properties compared to quarried stone slabs. Engineered stone is typically a combination of particulate mineral material and a binder, such as a polymer resin or cement. Some engineered stone slabs, especially those of a larger slab size and having a granular formation appearance, can fall noticeably short of the complicated look and texture of quarried stone slabs.